Spring
by 7-KHPrincessKairi-7
Summary: I’m not gonna do anything. I can’t do anything right. Alls I ever do is fight with that damn Yuki. I don’t know why I get my hopes up. Akito’s just gonna put me away." He hears footsteps come up on him and ignores them.
1. Getting Throught the Snow

**CHAPTER I:**

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: If you HAVE NOT read ALL of the mangas so far, there may contain SPOILERS. READ THE MANGAS BEFORE READING THIS. Or, you know, just spoil it for yourselves. That's what I'd do!**

Tohru stands outside Kyo's bedroom door. She's been meaning to ask him this ever since she found out about the Cat's curse and destination of loneliness. But now, she hesitates, afraid of making him upset. She holds her breath and turns away, going into the kitchen to finish up the dinner for the three men she lives with. It's a shrimp yakisoba dish, one of Kyo's favorites. She stands, stirring the vegetables, in thought. _What will happen when he goes away? Kyo-kun…! _A tear drops into the steaming water. She hears a voice behind her.

"What are you crying about now?" She gasps and turns around to see the orange-haired boy drinking from a carton of milk just recently retrieved from the fridge.

"It's nothing… Well…Whatever it is, it will be okay!"

"What are you _talking _about?"

She sighs and smiles slightly. Even though his attitude is impatient, he cares. It's just his façade. Yuki comes in, saving her from having to respond. "Miss Honda, I thought you had to work after school."

She smiles at him. "Welcome home Souma-kun!"

"Why aren't you at work?" the rat asks.

"Oh! Momiji insisted on my taking a day off! So he took it over for me!"

"So why are you cooking? We could've just ordered out." The cat criticizes. Yuki ignores him.

"It's no problem! There's no way I could've let you starve!"

Kyo slumps in frustration of her not taking it easy and peeks in the vegetables. He sees a onion-like substance floating in the pot and his eyes get big. "LEEK?!"

"Ahh!" Tohru screams.

"I _HATE_ LEEK!"

"I'm sorry! I thought you knew this is how I always make it!" she explains.

"You always make it like that?!"

"I'm sorry! I'll take it all out if you want!" She starts to drain it.

"Don't do that, you idiot! It's fine the way it is!"

"But—"

"I'll eat it!"

"Kyo-kun…" She says in surprise.

"Just make sure you don't do it again."

"Yes…" She becomes quiet, ashamed of herself for putting leek in the vegetables.

Yuki glares at Kyo. "Smart choice, stupid cat. I would have had to hurt you if you wouldn't have agreed to eat it."

"What's that supposed to mean you damn rat?!"

"You better appreciate Miss Honda's cooking."

"I appreciate it. Watch!" He turns to Tohru. "Thank you for cooking those damn leeks!"

She stammers. "That's it!" Yuki says. "You aren't going to say anything about her cooking!"

"Uh… guys?" Tohru tries to intervene in vain. "Guys?"

Shigure steps in from work in his suit. "Just try not to break the house this time. Good evening Tohru." He goes over and stands beside her.

"Shouldn't we—?"

"Don't worry about them. They're just doing things as usual." They look back to the argument.

"Say that again you damn rat!"

Shigure turns back to Tohru. "See?" She nods. He picks up the lid to the vegetables and peeks in. "Is dinner about ready?"

"Yes!"

"Why don't you go ahead and set the table?" He proposes.

"Ah! Yes! I'm on it!" She rushes out to set the table. Shigure turns to the boys.

"Now you two don't want Tohru to see you fighting, do you?" They stop. "I thought not. Dinner's almost done. Why don't you go help her?"

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The four sit and eat. "So Momiji took your shift for you, did he?" Shigure inquires.

"Yes! It was very thoughtful!"

"Indeed it was." He turns to Kyo. "So how are you enjoying the food?"

Kyo complains. "It has LEEK in it. What do you think?"

Shigure turns melodramatic. "After Tohru worked so hard on dinner! I can't believe you can't find _something _kind to say to her!"

"Why can't you ever shut up? It's okay, I guess. Just the stinking leek…"

"It's my fault…" Tohru suggests. "I wasn't paying attention when I made it."

Yuki pipes up. "You can't even tell there's leek _in _it."

"What are you talking about?! There's leek all over this thing!"

"You never noticed it before. Miss Honda always makes it this way."

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Kyo lays on top of the roof, like he does most nights after fighting with Yuki. He thinks about what he's going to do after high school. _I'm not gonna do anything. I can't do anything right. Alls I ever do is fight with that damn Yuki. I don't know why I get my hopes up. Akito's just gonna put me away._ He hears soft footsteps come up on him and ignores it. Tohru sits beside him and respects his silence. He finally breaks it like he usually does when she comes up there. "What do you want?"

"Kyo?" She asks quietly. "What do you think about?"

"What do you mean?"

"When you come up here. What do you think about?"

He sits up. "Lots of stuff. Could you leave it alone. I don't wanna talk about it."

She looks down. "Do you ever think about what will happen to you after you graduate?" She knows he's going to be in isolation after he graduates for the rest of his life. "Have you… really given up?"

"I don't see why it matters" he shrugs. "If it's gonna happen anyway, why get all your hopes up? They're just gonna get shot down."

Her eyes get big. "But you can't give up!"

"Why not?"

"It's like snow!"

"What?"

"Snow… even though it snows… it turns into Spring!"

"What are you talking about?"

"And when Spring comes… it's all okay!"

"Except Spring doesn't come for me"

"It always comes!" _It always comes. _"You'll see! One day… my wish… I want to break the curse." _Don't ever give up. _"And then… we'll be okay." _Even though it snows. _"I know it." _We'll be okay._

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Tohru walks down the halls of the school the next day and sees Momiji running toward her in the girl's school uniform. "Tohru!"

"Momiji!" He barely stops before he runs into her, almost turning into the Rabbit that he is. "How was work last night, Momiji?"

"Great!" he leans closer, as if to whisper. "But I think they miss _you_."

"Ah…! Did you get to see Momo?"

"Yes! But mom was with her."

"Have you taught her anything on the violin yet?"

"No. I can't get outta the Souma house except for school." He whines.

"Oh." She looks around. "Have you seen Haru?"

"No. I think he's looking for Rin. She disappeared again."

"Maybe I should go looking for her, then."

"No. Haru gots it. He's just a little slow sometimes. So what are _you _doing for Valentine's Day?"

"Oh! I almost forgot! I don't know what I'm doing yet! I have to get things for everyone! How could I forget?"

"Don't worry about it, Tohru! We don't need anything!"

"No! Don't get me wrong! I want to!"

"Alright, Tohru! Do what you want!" he says cheerfully. "I gotta get to class!"

"You're coming over after school today, aren't you?"

"Of course!" he skips off. She walks to class to see Kyo surrounded by girls pestering him. He flies off the handle.

"WHY DON'T YOU PEOPLE EVER TAKE A BREAK?!?!"

One of the girls responds to him. "You really want us to take a break?! Kyo-kun cares about us!" The girls squeal. One twirls around and sees Tohru. She grabs the leader's attention and they disperse, noses in the air. Tohru goes to sit next to Kyo.

"Good morning, Kyo-kun!" she exclaims happily. Kyo glares at the girls, bristling.

"I hate girls!"

"Eh?!"

Kyo tries to smile to show he's sorry and didn't direct that toward her. "It's okay." He says. "I didn't mean that toward you."

"Ah…ah! Kyo-kun!" she gets in his face. "What did those girls want?"

"To annoy the hell outta me. Uo and Hanajma come in.

"When are you _not _annoyed?" Uo challenges.

"Shut the hell up!" he stands to his feet in defense.

"I see nothing's changed." Hanajima thinks out loud to Tohru.

"Eh? What do you mean?"

"He hasn't changed. Not one bit…. Or maybe… Maybe he is."

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: That's Chapter One! Tell meh what cha think! Love to the readers! REVIEW!!!**


	2. No Darn Sense

**CHAPTER II:**

"Waaa! Kyo hit me!" Momiji wails the day before Valentine's Day. Everyone ignores him. Tohru's out shopping for groceries and picking up her chocolates for everyone.

"When will you learn to shut up?" Kyo criticizes him.

"Anyone! Kyo's being mean!"

Shigure turns to Yuki. "You know, Valentine's Day is tomorrow."

"Yes it is."

"Have you thought about what you're going to give Tohru?"

"I have a small thing of chocolates for her."

"Hmm… That's good."

"What about you?" the rat inquires from Shigure.

"Oh, _I _have a little something. You know Ayame is planning on coming over tomorrow." Yuki's eyes get wide in fear.

"No."

"He's your brother!"

"_That_ is not my brother."

"Yuki…" Shigure reprimands. Yuki takes a deep breath and leaves the conversation. Shigure turns to Momiji. "Did _you _get something for Tohru too?"

"Oh, yeah!" Momiji jumps up and presents a heart-shaped chocolate for Tohru, all wrapped up in pink and purple. "I got it for her yesterday!"

"I see… I think she'll really like that." He turns to Kyo. "What did _you _get Tohru?"

"What'd I get her for what?"

"You don't know?!" Shigure turns melodramatic again. "Kyo is so heartless he forgets all about Valentine's Day!"

Kyo turns erratic. "That's tomorrow?!" He thinks back on Kagura. "Who's coming over?!"

"Oh, Ayame, Hari, Kisa, Hiro, and Kagura"

"I'm coming too!" Momiji exclaims.

"Then I'm not coming home!"

"If anyone's not coming home, you'd think it'd be me." Yuki mumbles under the conversation.

"But you know Tohru's getting something for you. It'd be rude to skip out on that."

"Fine… I'll come. But it doesn't mean I'll be happy" Kyo replies, stubbornly.

"Just so long as you get her something."

"Yeah, I know."

"Remember last year!"

"Yeah, SHUT UP!" Shigure starts snickering. "WHAT?!"

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"I don't see why Valentine's Day is so important" Hiro complains as Kisa and Tohru exchange chocolates. "I mean, its just a day set aside for lovers to do what they should be doing all along."

"I really like Valentine's Day, Hiro." Kisa tells him softly. Hiro shuts up.

"I do too!" Tohru agrees.

Kagura walks up to Kyo carefully. "Kyo… I hope you don't mind, but… I don't have a chocolate for you."

"I don't care." He brushes off. Kagura looks down.

"Aren't you going to give Tohru your chocolate?" He looks down at his sitting position and realizes he has it in his hands. Tohru comes up to him.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Kyo-kun!" she extends the chocolate to him. He takes it and stands up.

He hands her his. "I know it's not much… But—"

"It's wonderful! Thank you so much, Kyo-kun!" He smiles.

"I didn't think you'd be _that _happy about it."

"Tohru!!! I have one for you too!" Momiji yells excitedly. Tohru runs over there.

"I almost forgot! I'm so sorry, Momiji-kun!" Shigure slides over beside Kyo and starts to snicker again.

"I'M REALLY ABOUT TO PUNCH YOU IF YOU DON'T CUT IT OUT!"

Tohru looks up after she's done giving exchanging chocolates with Momiji. "Where's Ayame?" There's a knock at the door.

"That's probably him." Shigure says. He goes over there and opens it.

"Never fear little ones! Ayame's here!" Ayame exclaims after he enters the house. "Where's my little brother?!" They look around and see Yuki standing in the corner, looking down.

"I was hoping you weren't going to come." He mumbles

"Nonsense!" He goes over to Yuki and takes his head to his chest, hugging him. "Dear Yuki! There's no way of letting you truly know how much my love for you exceeds!"

"Let go of me."

"Ayame-san! I have a chocolate for you!" 

Ayame feels compelled to let go of Yuki and take Tohru as far in his arms as he's allowed without turning into a snake. "Thank you, Tohru! And _I _brought something for you!" He pulls out a lavish working outfit. "Made just for you!" He leans over to Kyo. "And don't aren't you just _dying _to see her in it?" Kyo slumps, turning to him with an irritated expression. Ayame just smiles at him, making Kyo even more irritated.

Kyo finally boils at him. "Quit looking at me like that!"

Shigure tries to calm him down. "Now, Kyo, try not to break anything this time."

"Whatever!" He storms out of the room, looking down watching his steps deliberately.

"Eh?" Tohru lets out as she watches him leave. _Maybe I should go check to make sure he's okay…_

"Don't you just love it, Tohru? I have to say, it's one of my best!" Ayame gloats. Tohru turns back to him and takes the dress.

"Yes! That was very thoughtful of you! Thanks so much!" She turns to leave, happily. "I'll just go put it in my room for safe-keeping! I'll wear it tomorrow!" She leaves to put it up.

Ayame looks excitedly to Yuki. "Did you hear that?! She loves it! After all… I _was _the one who made it!" Yuki looks down and shakes his head.

"You'll never learn. She was just trying to be nice."

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Tohru walks past Kyo's door on her way back and stops. _I wonder what he's doing now? _She knocks on his door. "Kyo-kun?" She opens the door at no response and looks in. He's nowhere to be found. But the door to the ledge was open. She walks in as usual and goes out and climbs up the available latter. She goes up. "Kyo-kun?" She says again as she nears him.

"What now?" he asks rudely. She sits beside him, not saying anything. He eventually cracks. "What?! What do you want?!"

She looks up to the bright blue sky. "We're waiting for you!"

"For what?"

"To join us!"

"For WHAT?"

"Just to be a part of our Valentine's Day… Ayame-san, Shigure-san, Kagura, Momiji, and even Yuki."

"What should I care about that damn Yuki?"

"You… still think that?" Kyo clenches his fists and jumps up into a standing position from where he was sitting.

"Don't worry. I don't expect _you _to understand."

"Are you mad, Kyo-kun?"

He looks down in frustration. "Yeah."

"Why?"

"Shishou never showed up. He said he would."

"He did? I wish I would've known, because then I could've bought him a chocolate too!" He turns on her and yells.

"THIS ISN'T ABOUT YOUR DAMN CHOCOLATES!" She looks down and avoids him. He realizes what he just did and slumps down beside her, supporting some weight with his hands in front of him. "Look, I'm sorry. He's just supposed to be helping me with something today."

She suddenly looks up. "Like what?"

He looks down again, leaning back. "My New Year's wish." His hand rests on hers lightly as his demeanor completely changes.

"What _did _you wish for this year, Kyo-kun?"

"It had to do with that dumb rat. But… I want to be better. I want to be a better person. Someone you can be proud to say you know. Because I…"

"Kyo-kun?" she asks curiously.

His demeanor changes again as he stands up. "I guess we should get back. They'll be wondering where we are."

"Uh…! Yes!" She jumps up and they go back downstairs to the group.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: So, that's Chapter 2. Aw… I'm really trying hard to build a relationship between Kyo and Tohru _and _make it believable. Kyo's a very hard person to do this with, I'm finding out. Just wait… I'll work with him… Review pleaz! **


	3. Signals

**CHAPTER III:**

Shigure looks up. "Ah, Tohru! I see you were able to drag Kyo out of his room."

"Ah! Yes! It wasn't really all that hard!"

"I suppose not. At least not for you. It's amazing what you can do."

She waves her arms frantically in front of herself. "AH! No! I mean! I can't really do any of that stuff!" She stops flailing and calms down, looking around. "Where'd Ayame-san and Souma-kun go?"

"Oh. Ayame took Yuki to his shop. Kisa's left too. She had to go back to the main house for some reason. Hiro insisted on going with her."

"Hiro-san's not here either?"

"I guess not."

"But I'm here, Tohru!" Momiji runs up, waving in her face. "But I gotta go now too! I gotta show Momo how to play!"

She smiles happily. "Okay! Good luck!"

"Bye, Tohru!" Momiji waves as he leaves.

"I'm gonna leave too." Kyo says.

"So I guess it will just be me and Tohru left alone!" Shigure exclaims. "Hari never showed up…"

flashback

"_Why aren't you coming?"_

"_Akito's not feeling well again. He says it has to do with the holiday."_

"_You know Tohru's gonna have a chocolate for you."_

"_Tell her thanks, and that I'm trying to keep away from that for now."_

end of flashback

"If you want, I can give him his chocolate for you. I'm going to the Mainhouse tomorrow."

**(A/N: He's planning on eating it himself)**

"Thanks! I'll be sure to remember to give it to you tomorrow!"

"Alright." He turns to Kyo, who's glaring at him. "Haven't you left yet?"

Kyo grabs Tohru's hand and drags her. "I'm not leaving you alone with her."

* * *

After Tohru is dragged out of the house by Kyo, they slow their pace. He keeps a hold on her hand as they walk. Tohru looks up at him, taking note of his determined-softening stature. "Where are we going?"

"I'm going to see Shishou. I wanna know why he never showed up."

The sun is now setting over the horizon. "Oh…" They continue to walk in respective silence as they come upon the familiar dojo, so valued in Kyo's eyes. He opens the door, Tohru trailing behind him.

"Shishou?"

Kazuma walks in. "Kyo. What are you doing here?"

Kyo lets go of Tohru's hand and walks up to his Shishou, with wide, receptive eyes. "Why didn't you come?"

"I didn't know you'd come hunting me down" he smiles, pleased.

Kyo smiles and sends a fast punch toward his teacher, who catches it in his hand, closing his hand around his in a fatherly gesture. "Why?"

Kazuma steels a glance at Tohru, who's watching with interest, then looks back at Kyo. "You brought her."

"Yeah. I wasn't gonna leave her alone with that pervert.

"So Shigure was the only one left, was he?" He chuckles warmly.

"You never answered my question!"

Kazuma sighs. "You don't need me, Kyo. You're doing just fine. You can heal yourself now."

"That's not what I wanted!"

"No. But it's what's best for you." There's a pause. "Do you still hate it there?" Kyo stops to think, quite aware of his flower behind him. He realizes why his Shishou had just asked him that. He also remembers his wish. "Is it still 'lukewarm'?" Kyo's eyes get big at his recall of what he had said before, when he was denied the chance to live with Kazuma.

He looks away. "It hasn't changed" he looks back up. "Nothing's changed!"

There's a slight hush that escapes from Tohru's lips. "Kyo-kun…!"

"But it's healing you, isn't it. You see it now."

Kyo kicks at the ground. "Last time you said that you almost ruined everything!" He says, trying to keep a pessimistic outlook.

"And you came back to thank me."

"You… you knew it could've ended! You knew all of it could've ended! But still…!"

"I did what was best for you. It was hard, Kyo. I'm sorry." Tears weld up in Kyo's eyes as he gives into the impulse of what he has never done since childhood. He collects Kazuma, his Shishou, in a hug. Tohru gasps a little. After a second, Kyo backs up. "So, did my decision help?" he asks Kyo. "Did it help HEAL you?" There's no answer. "Or will you not say in front of Tohru?" His mouth drops as well as hers, his eyes widening.

"Do you need me to go?!" she offers, ardently.

There's another pause as Kazuma waits for Kyo to answer. "No. I can say it" he says determinedly. "I have a feeling… it's not something I'm used to. But it's not like sinking in lukewarm water anymore."

"And what about Yuki?" the Shishou asks, really curious now that Kyo is talking, and wondering how much information he'll disclose.

"He's… I don't see how anyone can stand him…" he says, almost ashamed. "But… but I'm really trying… not to let him get to me."

"You think Tohru can help you now that she knows?"

"I don't know. She shouldn't have to."

"Do you think she can?"

_I'm not sure of anything. _"I'm not gonna ask her to."

"I'll help any way I can, Kyo-kun!"

"Tohru…" he says, "I want… I want to do this on my own. So that I can say it's something I did. I'm not gonna worry about beating that damn rat anymore." _I want to… fight on my own… I want to… be able to stand._

* * *

NEXT DAY AT SCHOOL:

Tohru walks down the hall and stops when she sees Haru. "Hey, what happed with Rin? We haven't seen either one of you in a while."

He reaches a hand behind his head. "Akito's not happy with her. He's tired of her trying to break the curse."

"Oh." _It's taking me some time to get used to the fact that Akito's actually a woman._ "Is everything okay?"

"It is now." He starts to walk away and stops, looking back. "Just… stay away from the curse." He says coolly, and keeps walking.

She looks down and walks to class. _I can't just stop trying. If we wait for the end of the semester, Kyo will graduate and then— _She bumps into someone. "Oh! I'm sorry!" She looks up and doesn't see anyone, then looks down to see a pile of clothes on the floor and a little gray mouse sitting on top.

"AHHH! Souma-kun!" She picks him up fast, after looking around to see if anyone saw. Not seeing anyone, she runs into the nearest room—the girls bathroom. Thankfully, no one's in there. He almost immediately transforms back. "AHHH!!" She turns around, blushing and embarrassed. "I'm so sorry, Souma-kun!"

"Don't worry about it, Miss Honda. As long as no one saw."

"Ahh! No!"

"Well, I was on my way to a meeting, so I guess I should hurry back there" he peeks in her face, fully dressed now.

"Yes!" She opens the door and they step out together. Just as the door closes behind him, Kakeru comes running up.

He skids to a stop. "Yun-yun! What were you doing in there?! Where you CURIOUS?"

"Why must you insinuate that?" Yuki says tiredly.

He straightens up and wags his finger at Yuki. "Now, now, Yun-yun, as a member of the student counsel—" Yuki walks past him, interrupting.

"If you must know, I was waiting for Miss Honda"

He follows Yuki excitedly. "Well, you were standing awfully close to the door!"

Tohru watches them disappear and looks down with a smile. _I'm so grateful he didn't see us come out! _

* * *

Yuki walks into the meeting room and immediately looks around for someone in particular. "Where's Machi?"

Kimi comes up from behind. "Why do you worry about Machi when Kimi is right here?"

Machi's brother looks over. "She's not coming today. She hasn't been here all day." Yuki's eyes get big as he rushes to the window to see the snow falling and piling up on the ground below.

"Machi…" he whispers, remembering his promise to her. He turns around. "Can we hurry up with the meeting and get it over with?"

"Yun-yun's actually wanting to get out of here?!" Kimi exclaims.

He turns to her. "Why is that so hard to believe?"

"Well, we can always skip the meeting…"

"Could we?"

"If it's okay with you, Yun-yun."

Yuki hangs his head. "It's sad how I'm used to it by now…" he looks back up. "What's on the agenda?"

"Nothing much. The new play's coming up."

"Really?" Yuki becomes automatically interested. "What's it about?"

"That's what we have to start thinking about. But today LET'S GET IN A SNOW FIGHT!" he gets up and runs out the door.

"Kimi wants to play! Just don't hit Kimi too hard!" she runs out after him. The rest leave to go join them. Yuki hangs his head again.

"Why do they all have to be so irresponsible?"

* * *

Yuki goes to Machi's house to check up on her. He finds her out in her front yard, walking in circles and determination on her face. He smirks at her feeble attempt to make the snow imperfect and falls in step with her. After a few minutes she stops, realizing he's there and looks up at him, shocked and surprised. "What are you doing here?!" she jumps back.

Yuki cocks his head at her. "You don't remember? I agreed to walk in the snow with you." Her face softens.

"You mean… You remembered?" _Why are you here?_

"I did agree, didn't I?" He smiles softly, causing her to turn away abruptly and continue walking. He watches her complete her circle before joining her again. _Why are you with me? I don't deserve to be near you!_

Minutes pass and Yuki enervates until he has to stop and lean against a tree. Machi immediately stops as he goes off course and joins him. "Are you okay?"

"I'm just getting tired." He stands up straight, refusing the support of the tree.

"I wouldn't expect you to stay out here all day." Machi looks away.

"It's not that I don't want to. Why don't we get some hot chocolate instead?"

--

Yuki closes the door behind him, cutting out the showery snow. "Would you like me to help you?"

"No. I have it" Machi objects and disappears. As she was out, there was a knock on the same door Yuki had just closed. Machi hurries in to answer it.

She finds the person on the other side to be her brother, Kakeru. He helps himself in, blabbing again, "We missed you at school today and in the meeting! We just got done with a snowball fight!" He starts to remove his coat. "Yun-Yun even ask—" he stops when seeing Yuki. "Yun-Yun! What are you doing here?"

"He was just leaving" Machi says before he has a chance to answer for himself.

"Actually, we were just about to have some hot chocolate."

"How cute! Yun-Yun and Machi!"

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Amazing! I did something with YUUUUUUKKKIIII! Lol. Yes, it's kind of going off the manga here. That's actually a bit of a surprise, but hey, it's cute! I love how Yuki deals with Machi, and I hope this chapter portrayed that, and of course that you enjoyed that! Please review!**


	4. Birthday Surprises

CHAPTER IV:

**CHAPTER IV:**

"What the hell are you looking at, rat boy?" Kyo declares at the breakfast table that next morning.

"Nothing that would interest me in the least bit," Yuki cracks back.

"You wanna say that to my face?!"

"I believe I just did."

"Oh! Good morning! I'm surprised you're up so early!" Tohru comments, joining the two in her school uniform.

"What are you talking about? We always get up this early for school," Kyo critisizes.

"Oh, I guess that's true, but you two are usually the last ones out of bed."

"Well maybe you just slept in late," Kyo teases.

Tohru smiles, "I'm glad to see your both in a good mood this morning."

"It would seem that way, wouldn't it, Miss Honda?" Yuki smiles in his usual way.

"And, Yuki, I hear you and Machi are getting along pretty well, huh?"

"Yes, we are!" he smiles. "I'm going over to her house after school to help her study for a test."

"That's great!"

The sliding of the door behind them makes them turn as Shigure walks in. "Tohru, have you cooked breakfast yet? I'm starving!" he complains.

"Oh! I almost forgot!" she panics. "I'll get on that right away!"

--

"So, Tohru, I guess today's a pretty big day for you, huh?" Uo greets Tohru later at school, accompanied by Hanajima.

"Huh? I guess so. We have a physical today in P.E."

"That's not what I'm talking about!" she smiles softly. "It's your birthday. Don't you think you should relax a little?"

"Indeed. I've been worried that you're overworking yourself lately," Hana agrees.

"Oh, it's nothing all that special!" Tohru smiles. "It's just like any other day, really."

"What's just like any other day?" Yuki questions, dropping in on the conversation.

Tohru spins around. "Oh, nothing! We just have a physical in P.E., that's all!"

"So we do. Are you worried about it?"

"No! Not at all!" Tohru squeals. "I just have to wonder if Hana's going to skip out on it again this year." She turns around to see that her friends have left her.

"If she does, I imagine the coach will really throw a fit," he laughs.

Tohru smiles and looks around, "Where's Kyo-kun, and Momiji, and Haru?"

"Momiji's physical isn't until tomorrow, and Haru's skipping. As for the stupid cat, I wouldn't know. If I were Haru, I think I'd wait until tomorrow to skip."

Flashback:

Haru slumps, "A test tomorrow? I think I'll skip…"

"Don't forget the physical, Haru!"

"I'd rather do that than have to take a stupid test."

"That's the spirit!" Momiji cheers.

End of Flashback:

As Tohru runs at her own pace, a small group of boys pass her, rushing each other on and chanting at her. "You're never going to get anywhere running that slow!"

"Hey! Quit flapping your jaws! She can run however slow she wants! Are you gonna race me or what?!"

"No way, man. That's a death wish waiting to happen!"

"You better believe THAT!" Kyo yells back at him. "I'll beat your happy little butt!"

Kyo throws a backward glance at Tohru to see how she's doing and finds her slowing down to catch her breath. So he backtracks to her.

"Hey, you okay? You don't look so good…"

"Eh?!" she exclaims. "I'm really fine! I was just getting a little tired!"

"It's okay. You don't have to keep up with everyone. You just need to control your breathing a little more. It goes in through your nose and out through your mouth."

"Uh…" she begins, and then exhales. "Okay!"

"Here, I'll… I'll run with you to make sure you do it right."

"You don't have to do that!" she politely refuses.

"I can't have you passing out on us," he teases. "C'mon, already…"

"Oh… Yes, sir!" she announces and picks up her pace to a jog.

They jog together side-by-side until she accidently bumps him with her arm, and flips out.

"I'm so sorry! Uh…" she freezes as soon as he does himself, just in time for another group of kids to come up and push him into her. She firmly plants her hands on his chest to keep him from transforming.

"You wanna try that again?!" he yells at his classmates, and spins on Tohru. "And stop freaking out like that! You always do that and it drives me crazy!"

"I'm sorry!" she exclaims. "We can start running again if you want!"

He slumps. "No… Just relax a little. I'm not going to jump on you for just bumping into me. Bump into me all you want." He pauses. "THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEAN!"

"Hey, orangey!" Uo calls out to him later after the run.

"What do you want?" he asks her.

"I saw you with Tohru today. You better be extra nice to her, or I'll have to hurt you."

"What are you talking about?! I'm always nice to her!"

"I just wouldn't want you making her upset on her birthday," she adds.

He stammers. "She never said anything about today being her birthday."

"You think she would? She's way too polite to say anything. She thinks it'd be a burden on us if we knew. But Hanajima and I would never forget."

"Well, she never told me when it was in the first place! I didn't even have the chance to forget!"

"Oh, so meaning you would?"

"Of course I wouldn't!"

"So you like her then?" she quizzes.

He stops bickering enough to blush.

"You do! I can't believe this!" she cheers.

"I never said that! You can shut the hell up!"

"You know… If you really care about her, I'd tell her," she continues solemnly. "It may not seem like it, but it would mean a lot to her, you know? Especially today."

_Could that mean… That all the awkwardness from before when she bumped into me…_

"_I'm so sorry! Uh… We can start running again if you want!"_

_Did that mean she… Could possibly… Care the way I do? Why did I even go back to check on her? She's not so dependant that she needs someone there all the time… But I… I wanted to run next to her. I wanted… to share some time together. With her._

"Yo." Kyo addresses Tohru later on at home.

"Oh, hello, Kyo-kun! Where were you after school?"

"I had to stop by Shishou's."

"Oh. How is he?!"

"I guess he's the same as always," he says, finishing the conversation and sitting down beside her at the table. "So where's Yuki?"

"He's with Machi! They've been spending a lot of time together lately…"

"Is there something wrong with that?"

"No. Of course not!" she announces with a smile.

"What about Shigure?"

"He left to the main house a little bit ago."

"Why?"

"He said something about Akito…"

"Ooohhh… Do you have to work today?"

"No. They didn't schedule me for some reason…"

He nods, fidgeting where he sits. "I was wondering... since it's your birthday… if you wanted to do something."

"Who told you it was my birthday?!"

"No one!" he exclaims, trying to calm her down. "I mean… ugh… Uo brought it up. You know… We're happy to do stuff for you… It's only one day out of the year… You should really tell us stuff like this."

She blushes.

"But don't go getting any ideas!" he yells, blushing as well. "It was just an offer."

"I'd really like that, Kyo-kun!"

"And if you see anything you want, you can ask. I'll get it for you. For your birthday."

_First the run with him, and now we're going out for my birthday! Mom, I can't believe this! He's really trying!_

As the two walk together through the woods by the house, a rustling behind them disturbs their conversation.

"I can't believe all you wanted to do was just—" Kyo pauses and listens.

"Kyo-kun…" Tohru starts to say, but something's already got his attention. He stares off in the bushes and waits. She grabs his arm lightly to get his attention. "Kyo-kun…"

"Don't touch me!" he screams and throws her from himself and bolts.

_Damn Akito. Why does he have to show up at the worst times? It's her birthday! Couldn't he just give her a break?_ He halts. _How could I leave her there with him around? How stupid could I be?!_

"Kyo-kun!" Tohru calls after him, trying to catch up just as he's about to run back, and runs straight into her, transforming instantaneously. "Kyo-kun, I'm so sorry! I didn't know you didn't want to be touched! I never would have—!" she exclaims, getting on her hands and knees trying to level with him.

"Can't you just be quiet for one minute?!" he calls from his cat form. "You think it's all about yourself! You didn't see it…"

"See what?" she asks, her eyes growing wide.

"I don't care if you touch me. Just not… not in front of him…"

"In front of who?" she questions.

"He thinks he knows everything!"

"Kyo-kun..." she says, picking him up and hugging him. He scratches her, making her let him go.

"Let's just get out of here. We'll go back to the house until I change back and then we'll go into town. It's not safe in the woods."

"Okay," she nods.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Well, there's that chapter. We're getting closer! And here goes for the next chapter! Please review!**


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